The vision of the Core is to bring world-class imaging metrics to DF/HCC investigators, other cancer centers and clinical imaging centers anywhere in the world, develop cutting-edge imaging analysis and informatics technologies, advance knowledge in tumor imaging metrics through education and research, and translate this expertise into routine clinical practice.

TIMC provides standardized, consistent, longitudinal, multimodality radiological measurements to evaluate therapeutic response for patients enrolled in DF/HCC clinical trials. Services include accurate, consistent, and timely analysis of CT, MR, PET/CT imaging studies as well as other imaging modalities. Measurements available include linear measures (RECIST, WHO, Cheson, irRC, PCWG2, RANO), volumetric measures for CT or MR scans, and Standardized Uptake Values (SUVs) for PET scans. Results of analyses are offered on a password-protected secure web-based report. The Core offers an independent service with verifiable measurement of treatment response for patients enrolled in trials, and serves as a centralized, computerized resource to facilitate efficient internal or external auditing.

Key Services

Image capture and management of multimodality scans from all DF/HCC institutions

Tumor measurements from scans of patients on clinical trials according to trial protocol

Web-based reporting of results with annotated images and results summary

Database management of radiological data for clinical trials

Providing Continued High Quality Service

The primary focus of the TIMC is to provide high quality tumor metrics imaging services for oncology clinical trials at DF/HCC and beyond. Over the last seven years the TIMC has increased service offerings as seen in the figure below and have:

Processed 45,000 scans

Managed measurements for 1,000 clinical trials

Provided services to 16 institutions

The TIMC data and image management has also evolved over the years as the core’s service and expertise have grown. The TIMC development team has expanded the capabilities of the system based on user feedback and has continuously implemented solutions into the TIMC website and imaging tools.

The TIMC team strives to stay at the front line of clinical research trends. The core directors, imaging analysts, and support staff participate in and study the new assessment criteria as they are developed and implemented, contribute to and publish academic manuscripts, and participate in various national and international scientific meetings. Our focused dedication to learning and research help us stay at the forefront of clinical trial needs.

Sharing our Experience

The TIMC is now working with outside Cancer Centers in an effort to share experience, knowledge and workflow. Software licensing agreements allow the TIMC to provide analysis tools and support in an effort to create a trans-Cancer Center clinical trials imaging community.

PUBLICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

If research supported by this core facility results in publication, please acknowledge this support by including the following in your publication(s):"We thank Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston, MA, for the use of the Tumor Imaging Metrics Core, which provided __________ service. Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center is supported in part by an NCI Cancer Center Support Grant # NIH 5 P30 CA06516."